The German government has voted to ban the production of all internal combustion engines by 2030. Higher fuel taxes may hasten the ICEs departure.
The Bundesrat resolution calls on the EU Commission in Brussels to pass directives assuring that latest in 2030, only zero-emission passenger vehicles will be approved for use on EU roads. Germanys Bundesrat is a legislative body representing the sixteen states of Germany. On its own, the resolution has no legislative effect. Since Germany is a part of the European Union, anything decided on the national level doesn't have much clout, but if history is any indicator, it is predicted the EU might follow suit.
With diesel already on its tipping point in Europe, higher taxes and increased fuel prices would be the beginning of the fuels end. As evidenced at the Paris auto show, the EU auto industry seems to be ready to switch to electric power, and politicians have signaled their willingness to force the switch to zero-emission, if necessary.
The big three German car makers have all been making increasingly loud noises signaling a commitment to going electric. Germany produces more automobiles than any other country in Europe and is the third largest in the world.
In June of this year, it was reported that four of Norway's major parties had reached agreement on a proposal to ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered cars starting in 2025. Norway is already a global leader when it comes to zero-emissions vehicles with new car registrations, giving the Nordic country the highest market share for clean vehicles anywhere in the world. The Norwegian vehicle market though accounts for less than one percent of all vehicles in Europe.
